What are the Best New York Garden Plants?

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What are the Best New York Garden Plants?

New York, as a part of the Northeast region of the United States, has a humid continental climate that experiences long periods of warm temperatures during the spring and summer months and cold temperatures during the fall and winter months. Average yearly precipitation can be up to 50 inches, depending on the area of the state. Given the climactic conditions of New York, there are several native and introduced garden plants that are best-suited to the New York environment.

Plants for Spring Interest

To enjoy an array of colorful blooming flowers in a New York garden, incorporate flowering beauties such as common lilac (Syringa vulgaris), foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) and columbine (Aquilegia vulgaris) for lavender and purple colors, garden peony (Paeonia lactiflora) for a touch of fuchsia in the garden, paperbush (Edgeworthia chrysantha) and Cornelian-cherry (Cornus mas) for yellow flowers and the pink blossoms of Japanese apricot (Prunus mume) into the landscape. Complement the landscape with white blossoms by planting Sargent's crabapple (Malus sargentii) or Siberian iris (Iris sibirica).
Paperbark maple (Acer griseum), variegated Japanese black pine (Pinus thunbergii) and Yoshino cherry (Prunus x yedoensis) are trees that will add interest to a New York landscape in the springtime.

Plants of the Summer

Some of the best plants for summertime beauty in a New York garden include butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) for a splash of red color and endless summer hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla), lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) and sea-holly (Eryngium) for an array of soft lavender blossoms.
For white flowers in the summertime, add Annabelle hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) and climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea anomala). Yellow waxbells (Kirengeshoma palmata) is a good choice for its yellow flowers, while wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens), golden rain tree (Koelreuteria paniculata), Tanyosho pine (Pinus densiflora) and variegated redtwig dogwood (Cornus alba) can be appreciated for their foliage and bark color.

Winter Beauty

In the winter New York garden, color and foliage do not have to be at a minimum. American holly (Ilex opaca), Igiri tree (Idesia polycarpa), Indian magic crabapple (Malus 'Indian Magic') and winterberry (Ilex verticillata) will add vibrant splashes of red to the landscape. Chinese witch-hazel (Hamamelis mollis) and golden Virginia pine (Pinus virginiana 'Wates Golden') are two choice additions for yellow color in the winter.

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About this Author

Naima Manal's articles on health, diet, nutrition, alternative medicine, education, parenting, crafts, travel, home and garden and home improvement have appeared on eHow, Garden Guides, Trails, ConnectED, Helium and others. Manal received her B.S. degree in biology/pre-medical studies from Molloy College in 1994 and has been a freelance writer, teacher and homeschooling mom since 1993.